'US might support Iraqi president in a coup against Maliki'

Iraqi soldiers from the Abbas Unit walk along a road in Jurf al Sakhr, 60 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, on August 10, 2014, after they reportedly pushed back Islamic jihadist fighter from the area. (AFP Photo) / AFP

There was no short-term liberation of Iraq, it was an occupation to control the strategic Persian Gulf, and not only to safeguard Israel but also to act against Iran and Syria, independent researcher Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich told RT.

RT:There has already been speculation of a coup with
these troops in Baghdad. How do you view this
situation?

Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich: We heard different
stories. Some believe that a coup is imminent and is going to be
against the president, some believe the coup is against the prime
minister. I personally believe that if the US is behind the
president who took office on July 24 than it is more likely that
the coup may be against the prime minister, who in fact does have
the mandate from the people. Towards the end of the last year an
Iraqi court ruled out term limits and Mr. Maliki who won many
seats, more than in previous elections in Parliament, became the
prime minister, he was nominated prime minister. There is a
strong support for him by the people but he has never been
favored by the US and we keep hearing about sectarian violence.
But even as early as 2004 the Kurds, the Shia and the Sunnis said
“We all have been invaded”. It’s not the Sunni or the
Kurd that have been invaded. And the uniting against this
occupation and the occupying powers and their regional allies
went to create in fact this division, to weaken the resistance
towards the occupation. Mr. Maliki was the one that in fact
refused to allow the US military to stay indefinitely. This was
not something that had planned from the onset of the Iraq
invasion. America was building on an enduring basis, there were
many cities with golf clubs and restaurants and pools. This was
not a short-term liberation or whatever it was called. It was an
occupation to control the strategic region there, the Persian
Gulf, and not only to safeguard Israel but also to act against
Iran and Syria. So the plan has always been for a permanent basis
and permanent troops there.

RT:How reasonable are the claims that
Maliki made in his speech, accusing the president of violating
the constitution? Washington has already voiced its support of
Iraq's president. What does this mean for Prime Minister
Maliki?

SS: They have been saying for a long time that
they want Maliki to resign, that he should be out. And it is
really mind-boggling that Washington should be deciding who is
voted into office, who can stay in office and who should go out.
It has nothing to do with Washington unless we as a global
community, people around the world, accept that Washington
determines every government around the world. And of course you
are going to get reaction to that; you are going to have people
who will react to dictates of outside powers, determining who
should be running for office in a given country. So things will
escalate if Washington does interfere again.

RT:What about the timing of this political
crisis - just days after the US renewed its military
operation?

SS: I do not think there are any coincidences in
political actions. And you can always bet that they plan steps
ahead of time. I do not think it is just the US; I think every
country does plan ahead and coordinate their moves. If that comes
a few days after military planning it should not come as a
surprise. And everything that has been happening up to this
point, all the violence we have been seeing, all the atrocities
that have been brought to our living rooms are the net support of
America’s actions and interference in Iraq again. I do think we
should believe from the first moment this is humanitarian because
elsewhere, especially in Syria, they are arming basically the
same groups to throw out the president of their country. So it is
not humanitarian.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.